NPA spokesperson denies military report on 2 rebels dead in Isabela clash

CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela — The New People’s Army (NPA) rebels’ Fortunato Camus Command has described the military’s previous report on two deaths in a clash in Isabela province between the guerrillas and the soldiers as a “yarn of lies.”

In an e-mailed press statement on Sunday (Oct. 31), NPA regional spokesperson Guillermo Alcala said that the Philippine Army is like a troll army, alluding to the press release issued by the 5th Infantry Division (5ID) on October 29.

Alcala said the clash is “impossible” as they did not have a dispatched rebel group at that time in Diwagao Complex, San Mariano town.

“Batay sa panimulang ulat na naipabatid sa Fortunato Camus Command ng NPA, ito’y isa na namang kasinungalingan. Ang katotohanan ay walang presensya ng anumang yunit ng NPA sa naturang lugar sa gayong panahon at imposibleng mangyari ang sinasabing labanan,” he said.

(Based from the information from the Fortunato Camus Command of NPA, this is a lie. The truth is there is no presence of NPA unit at that time in the area so the clash is impossible.)

Alcala said the fatalities might have been civilians or hunters who were killed while hunting in the area or a mis-encounter between two Army units “like in Cabagan and Ilagan City in July and August this year.”

Army Major Jekyll Julian Dulawan, 5ID spokesperson, denied the rebel’s allegations.

Dulawan said that the operation that resulted to the deaths of the rebel squad leader of the Rehiyonal Sentro de Gravidad-Komiteng Rehiyon Cagayan Valley and another member was a legitimate operation that “further decimated the communist movement.”

He also denied allegations of mis-encounter in Army gunfights.